Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck hails transfer ban as Tammy Abraham scoops London Football Awards double

CHELSEA chairman Bruce Buck joked the transfer ban placed on his club was a good thing for the club – as Tammy Abraham scooped a double at the London Football Awards.

The Blues striker, 22, became the first player to pick up both the Premier League Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year gongs at The Roundhouse in Camden on Thursday.

This season is the academy product’s first as a regular in the senior team after loan spells with Bristol City, Swansea and Aston Villa.

That is a large part down to the fact that Fifa slapped Chelsea with a year-long transfer ban after their recruitment of young players.

And chairman Buck was clearly in a jovial mood as he made light of his side’s punishment.

He quipped: “The nominees show a transfer ban is a very good thing.

“In fact, I recommend it to all of the London clubs.”

Chelsea were left with strikers Abraham, Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuayi after their transfer ban came into force last summer.

And even though they managed to get the suspension cut to one transfer window instead of two, they did not bring in any new recruits in January.

They have already agreed a deal to sign Hakim Ziyech from Ajax in the summer while Jadon Sancho, Jude Bellingham, Houssem Aouar, Jonathan David and Alex Telles are among those who continued to be linked.

But Abraham has stepped up to the plate in impressive fashion, netting 15 goals already this term, despite currently being out injured and going to Spain to see a specialist about his problematic ankle.

The England international is currently

He also bagged his first senior England goal in the 7-0 thumping of Montenegro.

Abraham pipped his own team-mate Jorginho to the main award as well as ex-Blue Gary Cahill, Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and last year’s winner Son Heung-min.

Fikayo Tomori and Mason Mount were nominated for the young category after benefiting from the embargo, as were the Gunners’ Gabriel Martinelli and Brentford ace Bryan Mbeumo.

Both managers – Frank Lampard and Emma Hayes – were nominated for the Manager of the Year while stars Bethany England, Erin Cuthbert and Magda Eriksson made the shortlist for the main women’s award.

Les Ferdinand was recognised with a special award for his outstanding contribution to London football.

The former striker, 53, played for Queens Park Rangers, Brentford, Tottenham and West Ham during his club career before going into coaching – he is now the QPR director of football.